Thermostatic valve mechanism



June 30, 1931. o. J. Kur-:NHOLD THERMOSTATIC VALVE MECHANISM Original Filed Oct. 16,1925

2 Sheets-Sheet l l Ml a l [lll/lll] Gramm@ Jupe 30, 1931.

o. .1.A KUENHOLD THERMOSTATIC VALVE MEGHANISM Original Filed Oct. 16, 192s 2 Sheets-sheet 2 I June 30, 1931 y UNITED STATES PATENT orales -o'r'ro :on rumeni). or omo, Assioma To H; ar.' or

- amor, more, a conolwnon or remore y TmIQBTATIC 'VALVE H1 l s Appunti@ mea octnber 1e, 192s, Aserial m. cassa Renewed november n, 1sa'o.

' This invention relates to thermostatic valve mechanisms, such as are vemployed for l controlling the flow ci gas-to a burner, such as a garage burner, or aheater for any room T ors ace, or for other like uses.

T e object of the invention is to provide an arrangement of 'this kind inl which the pressure of the gas supply serves as the source of power for actuating the controlling valves, but nevertheless under the control or influence of a thermostat subject to' the temperature of the room or space to be heated, and which mechanism is so arranged and is of such form as to enable the controlling u thermostat to be conveniently located at practically any'r'easonable distance from the valve mechanism and particularly from those valves or other parts which necessarily must be at or near the burner. 80 A furtherobject of the invention is to rovide mechanism of the class described w ich is of simple construction and capable of convenient adjustment and in which all parts are easily accessible for repair or inspection purposes. y l

A further object vof the invention is to provide an arrangement of this kind which embodies means for maintaining at the burner a pilot light-of what may bel termed minm imum size, together with valve mechanism j thermostatically controlled and arranged upon a reduction of 'temperature to first build up the size and strength of the pilot flame and then increase the ilow of the gas to the main burner, so as to avoid flare backs and possible blowing out of the pilot flame.

f A further object of the invention is to provide a controlling valve mechanism embodying movablev abutment means, such as a diaphragm, subject on one side to the pressure of the gas supply and on its opposite side to the eiect of a thermostat or thermostatically controlled device, said abutment either serving as a valve or constituting a valve which functions as a relay or controlling device for other mechanism which regulates the flow of' gas to the burner. Further objects of the invention are in part obvious and in in detail hereinafter.

vmostat or wall instrument bein part appear more Inthe drawings, which represent one suitable embodiment of the invention, Fig.. 1 is' an elevation of the entire` apparatus, thethershown in front view;- Fig. 2 is a detail sectional elevap tion on the line 2-2, Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a detailv sectional plan view on the line 3 3, Fig. 2;

Eig. 4 isa front elevationof the main valve mechanism; Fig. 5 is a sectional elevation thereof on the line 5 5, 4,; and Fig. 6 is a sectional elevation thereo the drawings, 1 indicates the main as supply pipe equipped with yan ordinary s ut on the line 6-6,

- off cock, not shown, and communicating with a gas supply chamber 2 in the casing 3 of the gas controllin valve, from the outlet chamber 4 of whic Ia conduit 5 conveys the gas to a .burner A of any suitable form. The details of' the valve mechanism will be later described. Associated with the main gas valve are ar pilot burner 6 and .wall instru-y ment or thermostatic regulator'marked generally 7. `The main gas valve and ilotfare,-

of course, located' at or closely adjacent to the burner -or heater, while the wall instrument ma be designed for attachment to any suita le support and is shown as designed for attachment to the wall. It is connected to the mechanism at the nurn er by two conduits 8, 9, which may be small flexible metal tubesba uarter of an inch or less indiameter and o anyiconvenient length, each of said tubes bein even as long as to 30 feet. -This enables t e heater to be placed in one part 'of the room and the re lator at a distant point.y

eferrin'g now to the main gas valve, said valve includes not onl the supply and discharge chambers 2 lan 4, before referredto,

but also a valvechamber in which is a diaf 2 capable of rmore or less restriction by theI needle valve 13, as will be understood. In

.a wall of the casing the chamber 10' below the diaphragm communicates throu h a ort 14 with the outlet chamber 4. -g p The .diaphragm 10 serves by its cooperation with 'seat 11 as a valve forA controlling the. viiow of the' main. gas supply from the supply' chamber 2 to the discharge chamber 4 and thence to the burner. Said diaphragm valve is controlled by the pressure in the chamber 15 above it, which communicates with a T 16, one branch of which communicates by a pipe 17 and an adjustable needle or bleed valve -18 with apassage 19 communicating with the supply chamber 2. The other branch of said T communicates by way of the pipe 8 with the wall instrument. Supply chamber 2 also communicates by way of a passage 20, an adjustable needle valve' 22 and pipe 23with a T 24, one branch of which communicates by way of a valve or cock 25 with the pilot burner 6, while the other branch communicates with the pipe 9 leading to the wall in? strument.

The wall instrument comprises a suitable casing including hollow back' members 26 between which is a chamber and which meinbers are clamped together by the bolts 27 which also clamp in place la diaphragm valve 28 controlling a port 29 leading from a passage 30 to which the pipel 8 is connected, the chamber 28a ben ath the diaphragm also communicating by a restricted port 31 and a pas- Ysage 32 with the pipe 9 before referredl to. In

the chamber 28b above the diaphragm is a plunger 33 connected thereto and slidable in a boss of the casing, the outer end of said 'plunger abutting one arm of a U shaped bi- 15, metallic thermostatic element 34 so arranged that its arms will open and close with variations in tem erature. Said member 34 at its bend is mou ted upon a bar 35 carried in adjustable' pivot pins 36, so that the thermostatic element ioats or turns bodily, as it were, on said pivots, with its arms also free for rela-- tive motion by expansion and contraction. The outer arm of said member abuts an adjustable screw 37 threaded by iine pitch threads into a sleeve 38 which in turn is. v threaded by coarsepitch threads into a cover 39 attached to the 'back frame parts by bolts 40 and which cover'is provided with'open-V ings 41l through which securing devices, such as screws 41B, may pass through the spacer tubes 41b into the wall and also encloses the-member 34. The cover, if desired, may also support a thermometer 42. Screw 37 serves as a fine adjustment for the temperature and screw 38 as a morecoarse adjustment, screw 37 being slotted and screw 38 being provided with a knurled head 43 for manipulation. by the ngers and with a pointer 44 travelling over a scale 45 indicating temperatures, 46 being a stop for said pointer.

The operation is as follows Let us assume that diaphragm 10 lies against its seat 11, shutting oil' the flow of gas to the burner, due to the fact that the temperature is at or above the desired minimum.

-Under such conditions pressure from the sup- *ply line vHow-s through the p :m

way of valve 18 and condui -17 :te-chamber 15 -above the diaphragm 10,'so that the l supply pressure is effective on the upper side o f sald diaphragm over its entire area and preponderates over the pressure within the seat 11 on the lower face of the diaphragm. The v,supply pressure therefore holds the valve closed. Pressure also Hows byway of passage 20 and valve 22 to the pilot burner 6 andwill beneath the ,l ment, but the latter diaphragm is held against its seat by the expansion ofthe thermostatic element 34 effective upon plunger 33. Therefore, gas merely iows out through the pilot burner 6, itbeing understood that valve 22 is adjusted so that the pilot flame under the conditions stated is a minimum, merely a small bead of flame. Pressure likewise tends to flow from the conduit 17 by way of con- .tend to iow b i way of pipe' 9 to the chamber Y 'aphragm on the wall instruduit 8 to the supply side of the valve in the The seat around the port 29 is made rather smalland port 29 is small and port 31 still smaller. Consequently as soon as .there is the slightest tendency for the diaphragm 28 to move, it promptly leaves its seat and a pu oi pressure from the supply line by way of plpe 8 rushes out through the port 29'and lfills the chamber 28' beneath-the diaphragm. This puif or wave of pressure promptly iows through port 31 and by way of. conduit 9 to the pilot burner 6, where it rushes' out and immediately increases the length of the pilot flame to, say two or three inches.

The puff or wave of pressure iowing to and through port 29 and thence to the pilot burner comes more immediately from the evacuation of the chamber 15 above the diaphragm 10, due to the fact that valve -18 is adjusted to permit only a slightly increased How of gas therethrough over what flows past the valve 22, so that the pressure Hows away v from the chamber 15 more rapidly. than itv can'iiow into conduit 17 from the'passage 19. Evacuation of the chamber 15 reduces the pressure therein and main supply pressure effective through the port 12'upon the lower face of diaphragm 10 lifts'saiddiaphragm from its seat and thereby produces a wide opening from the supply chamber 2 through port 12 and chamber 10s and'by way of port 14 to the pipe 5 connected to the burner. The

gas thus supplied to the burner is ignited dition until the temperature in the region ofthe wall instrument' or regulator rises above the desired limit, thereby causin the' arms of the element 34 to separate and orce the diaphragm valve'28 to its seat. Such .operation permits pressure supplied through the passage 19 and by way o valve 18 to build u in the pipe 8 and in the chamber 15 above 'aphragm 10, thereby moving said diaphragm to its seat 11 and shutting oif'the `supply of gas to the main burner. Likewise,

the flow of gas through the port 29 tothe pilot burnerhas been shut o by the diaphragm 28, so that the only gas now Vsupplied to the ,pilotcomes by way of valve 22, which resumes its former minimum ame condition.

Adjustment of the screw 3 7 may be effected by a screw driver applied thereto through an -openinglin' the head(43. This screwis adjusted at the initial setting ofthe valve and ordinarily is allowed to remain so set. Adjustment of the head 43 enables theoperator to quickly raise or lower the temperature to be maintained in the room.

. The valve mechanism described is of relatively simple construction and provides not only for mlnimum and'maximum pilot burner conditions, but also enables the How of gas to be regulated within narrow limits, even lso' as close as two degrees Fahrenheit, by an instrument located at some distance from the burner. In practice the balancing of the effect of the thermostatic element against the pressure beneath dia hragm 28 is such that the diaphragm practlcally fiutters on its seat and as soon as pressure rushes throu h the port 29 and becomes effective over t e entire lower area of diaphra 28, it moves the diaphragm away from lts seat rapidly and with an impulse which, of course, moves the arms of member 34 toward each other. The result is a desirable snap action with practically yno wastel of gas.

What Ii` claim is:

1. Thermostatic control mechanism for g burners, comprising la gas burner, controlling valve mechanism therefor including a single flexible imperforate diaphragm valve .operated `by gas pressure directly thereon, relay valve mechanism also including a single exible imperforate diaphragm valve and adapted for cooperation with said controlling valve mechanism, and athermostatic element effective upon said relay valve mechamsm.

2. Thermostatic control mechanism for gas burners, comprisinga gas burner, a -gas supply conduit, a pair of gas receiving chambers lot burner.

for interoommunication through a port therebetween, one of said chambers being 1n communication with said gas supply' oonj l duit .and the other said chambers being in 7o' communication with said gasburn'er a plurality of independently operable va ves cooperating with said port for controlling communicatlon between said gas, chambers, relay valve mechanism adapted for cooperation with one of said valves, and a thermostatic element cooperating with said relay valve' mechanism. Y

3.. Thermostatic control mechanism for gas burners a gas supply conduit a pair of gas receivin chambersA adapted ,for .intercom- `muni'catlon through a port therebetween, one

of said chambers being in communication with said s supply conduit and the other of said cham rs being in communication with said gas burner, a pair of valves cooperating withsaid port for controlling communication between said gas chambers, one of said valves being of the iiexible diaphragm type and adapted for automatic operation and the other of said valves being adapted for manual operation, relay valve mechanism adapted for cooperation with one of said valves, and a. thermostatic element cooperating with said relay valve mechanism.

\ 11. Thermostatic control mechanism for gas burners, comprising a main gas burner, .a gas supply conduit therefor, a exible im erforate diaphragm valve controlling the ow of gas from said conduit to said burner, a pair of gas receiving chambers separated by said imperforate diaphragm valve but remaining at all times in communication with each other so that gas can 'flow from one chamber to the other, relay valve mechanism adapted for cooperation with said dia hragm valve, and 'a thermostatic element e ective upon said relay valve mechanism.

5. Thermostatic control mechanism for gas burners, comprising a main gas burner, a' gas supply means therefor, a iiexible imperforate diaphragm valve controlling the iiow of gas from said supply means to said main burner, a pair of gas receiving chambers separated by said imperforate diaphragm valve, first conduit-means for deliverin gas from one chamber to the other, a pi ot burner, second conduit means for delivering gas to said pilot burner from one of said chambers,

'and immovable third conduit means for de- 6. Thermostatic control mechanism for gas on'd conduit means for-delivering gas saidA 7. Thermostatic control mechanism for' gas burners, comprising a main gas burner,

10 a gas supply means therefor, va flexible imrforate diaphragm valve controlling the owof gas fromzsaid .supply means to said main burner, a pair of gas receiving chambers separated by said imperforate 'dia- 15 phragm valve, first conduit means for deliver-v ing gas from one chamber to the other, a pilot "u burner, second cnduit means for delivering gas to said pilot burner from one of said chambers, and third conduit means for delivering gas to said pilot burnerA from the other of said chambers, said third conduit means including a thermostaticall controlled valve for controlling the flow o gas therethrough. l 8. Thermostatic control mechanism for gas burners, comprisin a main gas burner, a gas supply means t erefor, a flexible imperforato diaphragm valve controlling the flow of gas from said supply means to said main burner, a pair of gas receiving chambers separated by said imperforate diaphragm valve, first conduit means'for delivering gas'from one chamber .to the other, a pilot burner, second conduit means for delivering gasto said pilot burner from one of said chambers, and third conduit means for deliverin gas g to said pilot burner from the other o said chambers, each of said conduitmeans being provided with a valve for controlling the 4 iiow of gas therethrough.

9. Thermostatic control mechanism forA as burners com risin a main as burner g a a a gas supply-means therefor, a flexible im erforate diaphragm valve controlling the ow of gas from said supply means to said "thermostatically operated and the valves of the other tvvo conduit means being manually ,6.0 operated.

10. Thermostatic control mechanism for gas burners, comprising a main as burner,A

a gas supply means therefor,'a eXible imerforate diaphragm valve controlling the ow of gas from said supply means to said valve, first' conduit means for delivering gas to said pilot burner from one of said chambers, and third conduit means for delivering as to said pilot .burner from the other of` said chambers, each o'f said conduit means being provided with a valve for controlling the flow lof as therethrough, the -valve of the third con uit means being therlili mostatically operated and the valves of the t first Aand vsecond conduit means being manually operated.

11. Thermostatic control mechanismI for gas burners, comprising a main gas burner,

`a gas supply means, a iexible diaphra valve controlling theflow of gas from said supply means to said main burner, a pair of gas receiving chambers separated by said diaphragm valve, means for delivering gas from lone of said chambers to the other, a pilot burner, a conduit for delivering gas to said pilot burner from one of said chambers, and conduit means for delivering gas to said pilot burner from the other of said chambers, said conduit means includin a iiexible diaphragm valve for controlling e flow of gas therethrough.

12. Thermostatic control mechanism for gas burners, comprising a main gas burner, a gas supply means, a iexibleimperforate diaphragm valve controlling the gas from said supply means to said main burner, a pair of gas receiving chambers separated by said imperforate'diaphragm valve, first convduit means for delivering gas from one chamber to the other, a pilot burner, second conduit means for delivering gas to said pilot burner from one of said chambers, and third conduit means for delivering gas to said pilot burner from the other of sald chambers, each of said conduit means being provided with a valve for controlling the iow of gas therethrough,

the valve of one of said conduit means being thermostatically operated.

13. Thermostatic control mechanism for gas burners, comprising-a main gas burner, a gas supply means, a flexible diaphra m valve controlling the flow of gas from sai sup ly meansto said main burner, a supply chamber on one` side of said diaphragm valve in communication with said supply means, chamber means on the other side of said diaphragm valve, means for delivering gas from said supply, chamber to said chambermeans, a

pilot burner, means for delivering gas from said supply chamber to said pilot burner, relay valve mechanism having a gas receiving chamber provided with two ports, as der livery means leading from said c amber means to one of said ports, a iexible diaphragm valve for controlling the flow of through said port, thermostatic means from the other of said Y valve, meansfor delivering gas from said supply chamber to said chamber means, apilot burner, means for delivering gas from said supply chamber to said pilot burner, relay valve mechanism having a gas receiving chamber provided with two ports, as delivery means leading from said c amber means to one of said ports, a flexible dias phragm valve for controlling the flow of gas through said port and forming one wall of the chamber ofthe relay valve mechanism, thermostatic means for operating said last named diaphragm valve, and additional gas receiving means leading trom the other oi said ports to said pilot burner.

15. Thermostatlc control mechanism for gas burners, comprising a main gas burner, a gas supply means, a flexible diaphragm valve controlling the -floyv of gas from said supply means to said main burner, a supply chamber on one lside of said diaphragm` valve in communication with saidsupply means, chamber meanslon the other side of said dia-` phragm valve, means for deliverin gas from said supply chamber to said cham er means, a pilot burner, means for delivering gas from said supply chamber to said pilot burner, relay valve mechanism having a gas receiving ,chamber provided with two ports of different size, gas delivery means leading from said chamber-means to the larger one ofsaid ports, a iexible diaphragm valve con-v trol"n'g the low of as through said port, thermostatic means E gnamed diaphragm valve, and additional gas delivery means leading from the smaller port to said'pilot burner. f

16. Thermostatic control mechanism for gas burners, comprising a gasburner; controlling valve mechanism therefor having a' communicating .with said @60 bers, a valvecontrolling chamber, conduit means between said supply and controlling chambers for providing constant communication-therebetween, and valve means in said conduit means for controlling the flow of gas therethrough, the gas in said controlling chamber serving to close said valve; relay' valve mechanism adapted for cooperation with said controlling valve mechanism and communicating With the controlling chamber of said controlling valve mechanism; and a thermostatic element effective upon saidrelay valve mechanism.

'In testimony whereof l hereby aiiix my signature.

" OTTO JOHN KUENHOLD.

or4 operating said lastv 

